Timbo Slice

My guess is that they saw a contract with 7 figures on it.

I do think there's going to be an attempt to branch out in the UK once safe to do so, mainly because it can be budgeted somewhat better. But at the same time, yeah, something has to give.

Saw this over at DVDVR, but apparently Thatcher has transferred over to being a trainer now? I wonder if injuries caught up to him? Seems like a natural fit (his friends I’ve worked with at local indies out her still rave about how much they’ve learned about him to this day), but my hope is that he can still work when need be, as he can obviously still go.

The thing with that trilogy was that Joe was a year into his reign, though. You do that when an established champ faces a big challenge.

I’ll buy that as a reason for the draw, I guess. I just wish there was a more definitive win for Page.

Sorry. I hate the draw. You gotta give Page a win in that situation. You beat Omega, Danielson draws Omega, but you can’t beat Danielson in 60?

Also, they aren’t calling out time, which is gonna make the end of this really weird.

This too. You have to know how special this is and pay up front.

Man, this really is playing to a draw, which doesn’t help either guy in a booking sense.

This motherfucker REOPENED THE CUT IN A SUBMISSION. GOOD LORD.

Yeah, when Tony starts the streaming service, the international feed gonna be worth it alone for some of these TV matches, man.

This is the type of match that erases volume for me. A match that makes a year on its own.

For all the heel performances Kenny had this year, this is shitting all over the compendium of them all. Just a complete an utter master class.

Page tapped a goddamn gusher, good lord.

The pace has been perfect throughout. Danielson capitalizing on Hangman’s mistakes so quickly, Page getting on his rolls, Danielson being deliberate while being in control, and this stretch has been exquisite.

You have to have a definitive finish here: because it’s either you make Danielson an unstoppable force, or you mint Page, and I think you have to mint Page, because it seems like you go that, have MJF beat Punk, and then set up that title match.

Tony trying to bring the focus back on the match at all times though.

I hope they don’t. Because if you go a draw for Page’s first defense, it really makes him look bad given the 30 minute draw Danielson had with Omega.

I am loving the pace of this so far, especially given the expectation is that Danielson is above Hangman in-ring kayfabe-wise. A true “prove it” situation for Page.

Have to imagine Keith Lee is the debut tonight.

Well, then. This opens up all the possibilities.

AEW being hot is also over inflating the “everyone wants to be there” camp along with a ton of other factors that aren’t normally considered outside of wishcasting. The security the company has set up for guys like Kevin and Johnny means a lot, and I’m sure they were able to come to agreements that were very good on both sides. Business-wise, this was gonna happen, but also, AEW is overflowing right now, and just “taking everyone in WWE that’s being misused and putting them in AEW” displaces a ton of folks who ARE being used correctly in AEW. And Tony has been smart about making sure everyone in the company he uses is valued regardless of whether they’re on the main shows, Dark, or rotating through their Indy appearances.

No more headbutts, K, kthanx.

Punk costing MJF somehow only to have MJF earn it back makes sense.

The way all this is shaping up, Hangman and MJF are great first losses for Danielson and Punk (obviously Punk later on, not tonight), really putting them both over as true pillars of the company and also getting rid of that pesky 0 in the loss column that can be a booking detriment. It also makes the Omega rematch for Danielson when he comes back most likely at Revolution that much more impactful.